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FCC Gains Power to Enforce Telephone Equipment Penalties

New rules empower the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to independently enforce financial penalties for violations of telephone equipment usage rules, particularly concerning unwanted calls. This means the FCC can more quickly and effectively pursue companies and individuals responsible for phone spam, potentially reducing the number of annoying calls for citizens.
Key points
The FCC can independently pursue unpaid penalties for telephone rule violations if the Attorney General does not act within 120 days.
The FCC will prioritize penalties over $25 million, focusing on the largest perpetrators of unwanted calls.
These changes aim to streamline the fight against illegal telephone calls, such as spam and scams, potentially improving citizens' daily lives.
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Status: Expired
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Additional Information
Print number: 118_HR_4224
Sponsor: Rep. Matsui, Doris O. [D-CA-7]
Process start date: 2023-06-20
System Note: Lustra is free, publicly auditable civic infrastructure — full source code available on GitHub. You are reading sterilized legislative data, processed by our radical neutrality engine to strip political spin and retain factual mechanics. We process only official government data. Original documents remain the authoritative source—always verify them if you can.
Summarized by: gemini-2.5-flash-preview-05-20
Source data: api.congress.gov
AI work logs for this document launch

OFFICIAL LEGAL TITLE

To authorize the Federal Communications Commission to enforce its own forfeiture penalties with respect to violations of restrictions on the use of telephone equipment.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is the official ID of this bill?

The official print number for this legislation is 118_HR_4224.

Which chamber initiated this legislation?

This legislation was initiated in the House of Representatives.

When did the legislative process begin?

The process officially started on 2023-06-20.

What are the main provisions?

Key points include:

  • The FCC can independently pursue unpaid penalties for telephone rule violations if the Attorney General does not act within 120 days.
  • The FCC will prioritize penalties over $25 million, focusing on the largest perpetrators of unwanted calls.
  • These changes aim to streamline the fight against illegal telephone calls, such as spam and scams, potentially improving citizens' daily lives.
What is the specific legal status?

The current status is Expired.

Where can I read the full text of this legislation?

The full official text is available at: View full text

Who is the primary sponsor?

The primary sponsor is Rep. Matsui, Doris O. [D-CA-7].

What is the latest detailed status?

The latest detailed status is: Referred to the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology.

Is this summary verified?

Yes. This content was analyzed by AI and verified by the Lustra Judge System on 2025-12-25.

What is the impact of this bill?

We don't know—that is up to you to decide. Summarizing raw data with AI is fundamentally different from predicting socio-economic outcomes. As of 2026, we believe impact assessment strictly requires a human in the loop to verify and judge.

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